January 8, 2010

Cleopatra’s Eye Make-Up Had Health Benefits

The heavy eye make-up used by ancient Egyptians may have been good for the eyes. This is according to a study by French scientists published in the journal Analytical Chemistry. The researchers found that the lead in the cosmetics helped fight off bacteria that cause eye infections. It did this by stimulating the cells in the immune system. The scientists, from the Louvre Museum and the CNRS research institute, analyzed the lead salts found in the make-up. Lead is usually a risk to health but the low levels in the make-up had health benefits. Lead researcher Philippe Walter said: “We knew ancient Greeks and Romans noted the make-up had medicinal properties, but we wanted to determine exactly how."

The make-up used by the ancient Egyptians helped darken the eyes and make them look sexier. It sometimes took many weeks to make the special mixture. The most famous “model” for the cosmetics was the Queen of Egypt Cleopatra. She used eye make-up to try to win the heart of the emperor Mark Anthony. The story of their love was made famous by the Shakespeare play ‘Anthony and Cleopatra’. Fashion has changed little in the past 2,000 years. Women and men spend a fortune every year on making their eyes look more attractive. There is a multi-billion-dollar industry based on mascara, eyeliner, eye moisturizer and false eyelashes.

WARM-UPS

1. EYE MAKE-UP: Walk around the class and talk to other students about eye make-up. Change partners often. Sit with your first partner(s) and share your findings.

2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words from the article are most interesting and which are most boring.

Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.

3. COSMETICS: What’s best? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners and share what you wrote. Change again and share what you heard.

For…

Attractive

Not attractive

the eyes

the lips

the nails

the cheeks

the face

the body

4. ATTRACTIVE: Students A strongly believe cosmetics are not necessary to make someone look more attractive; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

5. SEXY: Which of these are sexiest? Rate them and share your ratings with your partner: 10 = super sexy; 1 = not at all sexy; in fact, a real turn-off. Change partners and share your ratings again.

eye make-up

a smile

intelligence

tight-fitting clothes

muscles

a sense of humour

a tall, slim body

an accent

6. ANCIENT EGYPTANS: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the Ancient Egyptians. Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

WHILE READING / LISTENING

GAP FILL: Put the words into the gaps in the text.

The ____________ eye make-up used by ancient Egyptians may have been good for the eyes. This is ____________ to a study by French scientists published in the journal Analytical Chemistry. The researchers ____________ that the lead in the cosmetics helped fight off bacteria that cause eye infections. It did this by stimulating the cells in the ____________ system. The scientists, from the Louvre Museum and the CNRS research institute, ____________ the lead salts found in the make-up. Lead is usually a risk to ____________ but the low levels in the make-up had health ____________. Lead researcher Philippe Walter said: “We knew ancient Greeks and Romans noted the make-up had medicinal properties, but we wanted to determine ____________ how.”

benefitsanalyzedfoundhealthheavyexactlyaccordingimmune

The make-up used by the ancient Egyptians helped ____________ the eyes and make them look ____________. It sometimes took many weeks to make the special mixture. The most famous “model” for the cosmetics was the Queen of Egypt Cleopatra. She used eye make-up to try to ____________ the heart of the emperor Mark Anthony. The story of their love was made ____________ by the Shakespeare play ‘Anthony and Cleopatra’. Fashion has changed ____________ in the past 2,000 years. Women and men spend a ____________ every year on making their eyes look more ____________. There is a multi-billion-dollar industry based on mascara, eyeliner, eye moisturizer and ____________ eyelashes.

famousattractivelittlesexierdarkenfalsefortunewin

LISTENING  Listen and fill in the gaps

The heavy eye make-up used by ancient Egyptians _________________ for the eyes. This is according to a study by French scientists published in the journal Analytical Chemistry. The researchers ___________________ in the cosmetics _________________ bacteria that cause eye infections. It did this by stimulating the cells in the immune system. The scientists, from the Louvre Museum and the CNRS research institute, analyzed the lead salts found in the make-up. Lead is usually _________________ but the low levels in the make-up had health benefits. Lead researcher Philippe Walter said: “_________________ Greeks and Romans noted the make-up had medicinal properties, but we _________________ exactly how.”

The make-up used by the ancient Egyptians _________________ eyes and make them look sexier. It sometimes _________________ make the special mixture. The most famous “model” for the cosmetics was the Queen of Egypt Cleopatra. She used eye make-up to try _________________ of the emperor Mark Anthony. The story of their love was made famous by the Shakespeare play ‘Anthony and Cleopatra’. Fashion _________________ in the past 2,000 years. Women and men spend a fortune every year on _________________ look more attractive. There is a multi-billion-dollar industry based on mascara, eyeliner, eye moisturizer and _________________.

If you try to win someone’s heart by using make-up, what happens when you take it off?

f)

Is it OK to put on make-up on a crowded train?

g)

What do you think make-up will be like 100 years from now?

h)

Do people spend too much money on cosmetics?

i)

What do you think of false eyelashes?

j)

What questions would you like to ask a cosmetics company boss?

LANGUAGE  MULTIPLE CHOICE

The heavy eye make-up (1) ____ by ancient Egyptians may have been good for the eyes. This is according (2) ____ a study by French scientists published in the journal Analytical Chemistry. The researchers found that the lead in the cosmetics helped fight (3) ____ bacteria that cause eye infections. It did this by stimulating the cells in the immune (4) ____. The scientists, from the Louvre Museum and the CNRS research institute, analyzed the lead salts found in the make-up. Lead is usually a (5) ____ to health but the low levels in the make-up had health benefits. Lead researcher Philippe Walter said: “We knew ancient Greeks and Romans noted the make-up had medicinal properties, but we wanted to determine (6) ____ how.”

The make-up used by the ancient Egyptians helped (7) ____ the eyes and make them look sexier. It sometimes took many weeks to make the special (8) ____. The most famous “model” for the cosmetics was the Queen of Egypt Cleopatra. She used eye make-up to try to (9) ____ the heart of the emperor Mark Anthony. The story of their love was made famous by the Shakespeare play ‘Anthony and Cleopatra’. Fashion has changed (10) ____ in the past 2,000 years. Women and men spend a fortune every year (11) ____ making their eyes look more attractive. There is a multi-billion-dollar industry based on mascara, eyeliner, eye moisturizer and (12) ____ eyelashes.

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about eye make-up. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. COSMETICS: Make a poster about cosmetics  the good and bad things. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. FORTUNE: Write a magazine article about someone who spends a fortune on cosmetics. Include imaginary interviews with that person and someone who thinks cosmetics are a waste of money.

Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).

5. LETTER: Write a letter to the boss of a cosmetics company. Ask him/her three questions about eye make-up. Give him/her three suggestions for new products. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE:

a.

F

b.

T

c.

T

d.

F

e.

T

f.

F

g.

F

h.

F

SYNONYM MATCH:

1.

make-up

a.

cosmetics

2

study

b.

report

3.

fight off

c.

keep away

4.

analyzed

d.

investigated

5.

exactly

e.

precisely

6.

sexier

f.

more desirable

7.

try

g.

attempt

8.

a fortune

h.

lots of money

9.

attractive

i.

beautiful

10.

false

j.

artificial

PHRASE MATCH:

1.

heavy

a.

eye make-up

2

according to a

b.

study by French scientists

3.

fight

c.

off bacteria

4.

Lead is usually a risk

d.

to health

5.

we wanted to determine exactly

e.

how

6.

darken the eyes and make

f.

them look sexier

7.

try to win the

g.

heart of the emperor

8.

Fashion has

h.

changed little

9.

spend

i.

a fortune

10.

a multi-billion-dollar industry

j.

based on mascara

GAP FILL:

Cleopatra’s eye make-up had health benefits

The heavy eye make-up used by ancient Egyptians may have been good for the eyes. This is according to a study by French scientists published in the journal Analytical Chemistry. The researchers found that the lead in the cosmetics helped fight off bacteria that cause eye infections. It did this by stimulating the cells in the immune system. The scientists, from the Louvre Museum and the CNRS research institute, analyzed the lead salts found in the make-up. Lead is usually a risk to health but the low levels in the make-up had health benefits. Lead researcher Philippe Walter said: “We knew ancient Greeks and Romans noted the make-up had medicinal properties, but we wanted to determine exactly how.”

The make-up used by the ancient Egyptians helped darken the eyes and make them look sexier. It sometimes took many weeks to make the special mixture. The most famous “model” for the cosmetics was the Queen of Egypt Cleopatra. She used eye make-up to try to win the heart of the emperor Mark Anthony. The story of their love was made famous by the Shakespeare play ‘Anthony and Cleopatra’. Fashion has changed little in the past 2,000 years. Women and men spend a fortune every year on making their eyes look more attractive. There is a multi-billion-dollar industry based on mascara, eyeliner, eye moisturizer and false eyelashes.